FT Angst Week 2016
by riverofmemories
Summary: My collection of one-shots from FT Angst Week on tumblr! Several pairings, sadness, and much more!
1. Cross My Heart

**_Cross my heart…_**

They meet among the crisp white roses that make up her garden.

She sees him in the shadows of the apple tree, her soft pink lips parting in surprise when she sees the quiet teen with hair as rose-colored as the sky as the sun that sets behind him. She asks of who he is; he answers that he is the King of Demons, dubbed such by the brother that loves him enough to bring him back from the dead. He tells her that he doesn't really have a name anymore, that many call him by the hair-raising title his brother has given him, one that she knows well.

When he returns the question, she replies with simple words: "I am Lucy. I'm the woman who lives in this place, alone, because my father is away with my mother, working on their company to try and get us more money so that we may live in a nicer home. One that isn't falling apart."

He replies, "Why wouldn't you leave?"

"Because it's my home and I must wait for Mother and Father," she replies calmly. She tucks a lock of blonde hair behind her ear, her actions thoughtful. "Mother told me to beware the man who goes by E.N.D. But I don't believe that you're someone to fear...you look tired. Why?"

He bares his teeth almost playfully, showing their sharpness, and Lucy notices the black markings that creep up his face as he does so before fading away again. "I'm tired of having to kill. I don't like it. But I have to."

She questions why he has to; E.N.D. holds no answer.

So she asks him another question, a secretive smile on her gentle face. "Well?" she urges. "Tell me your name. Not your title, but your name."

He is honestly startled by this. "You want to know the name I had before?"

"The one you were given by your parents, yes," she confirms.

"...Natsu," he says hoarsely, unable to believe what this kind girl is saying. Her blonde hair glows like that of a fairy's as she smiles, her dark eyes delighted. "Natsu. My name is Natsu."

* * *

 ** _Hope to die…_**

Her parents are horrified when they learn of who she has spoken with. Her mother is understanding, though, recognizing her daughter's ridiculous need for kindness. Her father is less understanding and screams at her, threatening to disown her should she do such a thing again.

"Do you not understand who that bastard is?" he shouts as she presses a hand to her mouth, hiding her sobs. She's never been shouted at before, doesn't understand why he is doing so. She is the precious heiress to the company he has worked so hard for; she is the princess among his world, where female heirs are so hard to come across. "He is the definition of evil! He is the one who killed your mother's parents!"

Her mother is fierce and swift in her defense. "That's not true," the older woman argues. "Zeref ordered such, that evil man. He is the one who ordered their deaths - E.N.D. was merely the one who did as he was told, like you did in the war. That is like accusing you of being a murderer. And I won't allow such flying accusations."

"I will not have her conversing with demons," he warns.

She doesn't listen.

Because dancing with the devil is far more interesting than her previously dull life.

* * *

 ** _Stick a needle…_**

He finds her again, sitting among the flowers of her garden.

Her mother's garden, she corrects him when he reluctantly joins her under her demand. He doesn't know why he's come back; he only knows that he has, and that she is determined to befriend him. He doesn't mind. It's a nice change of pace from the daily life he goes through on a usual basis.

"My father hates me," she says suddenly, plucking a flower and twirling it.

Onyx eyes glance to her, curious as to why she would say such a thing. He says nothing, as quiet as he usually is, remembers the times when he was loud and rambunctious as he played with his friends.

"I mentioned that I'd met you," she explains quietly. She gives a wry smile, one bitter and full of pain that he doesn't like on her face. "He blames you for the deaths of my grandparents. Our old home. My mother doesn't though." She tilts her head. "I trust you. You may be the King of Demons, named such by the Emperor, but you're Natsu, too."

His lips kick upwards. He's touched by her words, but says nothing, instead mentions, reaching out to pluck the white flower from her fingers with his black talons, "This would look better in your hair, weirdo."

She is pleased by this, her eyes warm with affection for her newfound friend as he tucks it behind her ear.

Her father may have demanded that she think of her actions and stop, but she doesn't. She simply takes the Demon King's hand and touches the talons that have been used to kill so many people. He lets her, unused to such gentle touches.

"I hope," she muses, "That we can meet again, Natsu."

He mumbles his agreement, what looks like a blush on his cheeks.

* * *

 ** _In my eye…_**

Time passes. He comes, he goes, and she stays. Lucy enjoys his presence in secret when he comes, listens in horror and understanding when news of his murderous rages crosses their ears. Her face pales when her father reports that he is returning to war, determined to help the rebels put a stop to all of this, and she says nothing, doubting anything would make a difference, because he's going for one reason and one reason only.

She knows her father is set on killing E.N.D.

But she says nothing.

Because she doubts his mind, so fragile now that their hard work has been turned to flames and dust, could handle her protests. Her father has always had a deranged mind, unhealthy after the first war, but now…

It hurts him to know that his daughter doesn't see as he does.

He doesn't know that she's far closer to E.N.D. than he thinks.

Her mother knows, however, though she doesn't approve. She simply shows her disapproval in a look when Lucy suddenly excuses herself from the quiet house once her father is gone.

Lucy wanders thoughtfully among her garden, seeking out her friend. "Natsu?" she calls thoughtfully, and nearly jumps out of her skin when a voice calls from the branches above her head.

"Up here."

She looks up and discovers that Natsu's in her apple tree, grinning down at her. His eyes glint playfully, knowing that she hates when he does such things. She only smirks up at him and urges him to come down so that she doesn't hurt her neck from looking up. He slips expertly out of the apple tree and drops to land in a crouch only a breath away, grinning up at her.

"You missed our meeting the other day," Lucy says questioningly, careful not to demand why, because she knows why.

She knows of the village that burns to the south. She knows of who started it, of who ordered its destruction.

She know whose blood stains his cheek, still not taken off from his work, but she doesn't care. He is Natsu, he is E.N.D., and he is her friend - possibly more. He touches her cheek with a gentle talon upon straightening. "Sorry," he replies. "Work. My brother made me."

Lucy murmurs her understanding and glances towards her house, aware that her mother watches from the window, anxious. She's worried that Natsu would hurt her, harm her, tear her to pieces or incinerate her like he did the village to the south, but Lucy knows better.

Natsu would never hurt her.

She trusts him with her life.

* * *

 **' _Cause life is gone…_**

When the demand comes, he doesn't know how to respond, his mouth gaping as he stares at his usually calm brother. He demands to know why his brother is asking; Zeref merely gives a calculating smile and muses, "You've been distracted. Tell me why. You left survivors yesterday."

He contemplates how to answer without giving his secret away. He knows how his brother's mind works. He knows that he'll demand that he kill Lucy, and he refuses to do such a thing to her. Lucy is his friend, the one he adores more than life itself. He detests what he has to do and she knows that, understands that he has no choice.

Without Zeref...he is dead.

So he does as his "god" commands, because if he doesn't, again. Death.

"Natsu," his brother says softly. It's the first time that he's used his true name in nearly a decade, and his heart twists at the use of it. "Tell me." The book in his lap cracks as he tightens his grip on it. Similar cracks cross and splinter across his face, a threat.

But Natsu doesn't flinch. He barely bats an eye when his skin splinters, shards falling to the ground. Zeref has tried this thousands of times when things don't go his way and it pisses him off, though he doesn't do anything about it.

"Natsu," he begins again, "Tell. Me. Before I decide that you're more trouble than you're worth."

Finally, Natsu cracks.

"There's...there's a girl…"

* * *

 ** _Quick as dreams…_**

Zeref doesn't appreciate what Natsu says and it isn't long before he receives the order that threatens to shatter his heart. His heart and the heart of the woman he cares so much for.

 _Burn them_.

She greets him with a warm smile when he arrives. She calls his name, reaches out to capture his hand. "We've received fantastic news," she tells him, beyond happy over something that he doesn't know of yet. "My father sent word that we've gained some upper ground on Zeref! Surely that means soon, you'll be free?"

His mouth goes dry.

He can't disobey Zeref.

But he can't kill her. He can't kill the one he loves.

And yet...if he doesn't do it…

Zeref will send someone else from Tartarus. Someone who will torture her, rip her apart and keep her alive while doing so...if he does it, he can make her death quick and simple…

Tears rise to his eyes as he cuts her off. His gentle talons brush over her cheek. "Lucy," he rasps softly, "Zeref told me to kill you."

She pauses, studies his miserable expression. "...oh," she muses. She's silent, and then her fingers tremble, her smile faint. "I see. I understand. You...have to kill me, or Zeref kills you. Hm?"

He shakes his head. "If I don't do it, someone else will, and...I don't think I'd like that. Nor would you." He gives a bitter laugh, the sound choked. "I don't want to. I don't want to." He repeats this a few times, until she smiles sweetly and says in her soft voice that she knows and understands.

Natsu, not for the first time, hates who he is.

* * *

 ** _Kill me now…_**

There is only silence.

He sits among the bloodbath with a wry smile, his fangs showing in his darkened smirk.

He hears the armies marching.

He sees the ash.

Smells the death.

But he doesn't care.

Because she is gone and nothing matters anymore.

Because Zeref is dead and he is free.

Not that he cares. Nothing matters anymore. Nothing that once mattered means anything to him. That was washed away when he took _her_ life months before. A simple snap of the neck had reassured him that she'd died in no pain, though his heart had been full of it.

Her mother had told him he was a monster. He'd told her gravely that he knew before doing the same for her before burning their home to the ground, turning it into nothing with ashes.

Natsu wonders what he did wrong to deserve the pain he is dealt.

Why don't they hear him? He pleads silently for someone to notice his agony like she would have, but there is nothing.

There is only silence.

Silence as the blade descends.

* * *

 ** _Hear my screams._**

* * *

 _Author's Note: Well! FT Angst Week is starting on the first, and today is the first bonus day, so guess who decided to write for all of it? The prompt was "cross my heart" for the first bonus day!_


	2. Silence

She'd never felt more alone.

Juvia's arms wrapped around her middle as she rested her head on the doorway, her gaze locked upon the stars. The rain was gone for the moment, and she remembered the many nights that she and her Gray-sama had looked to the stars, quietly contemplating what they should do when they were done training.

What they should do about Lucy, who neither had heard from.

What they should do about the black marks that had grown across his skin, frightening her. He hadn't been too concerned - he'd still felt alright, after all.

What they should do about the disbanded guild.

There had been one thing neither was willing to bring up; what would happen to _them_? They were living together, had been living together. Surely Juvia's wish would come true and she'd be allowed to be with her Gray-sama at last!

But now...he was gone.

Gray had disappeared.

The empty village that they'd stayed in, once full of their laughter and happiness, their cheerful attitudes about the future as they suggested that it might be a good idea to check in on who they could, was silent, and those things?.

All gone.

The feverish flush to her cheeks had grown worse lately, but she hadn't noticed. Juvia sniffed softly as the rain came back, drizzling around her.

This was how she'd felt before. Before Fairy Tail...before Phantom Lord. At least in Phantom Lord, they'd noticed her. Feared her, recognized her as a valuable mage without getting too close to her with only the grumpy Gajeel saying a small compliment every now and then.

But she'd never felt alone like she did before then and how she felt now.

Abandoned.

Juvia turned to go back inside, to finish the meal that had grown cold, pausing only to spare one final look to the disappearing stars. "Come home, Gray-sama," she pleaded to no one in particular, eyes pricking with tears.

She returned to the silence that she'd heard for the past few weeks as she forced herself to eat, to sleep only moments after finishing.

Unaware that countless miles away, a man with his dark hair slicked out of his face and a black mark streaking up over his icy eyes studied the stars, wondering just how the girl he missed was doing as he and the Titania of their now disbanded guild worked in secret to tear into the guild known as Avatar and destroy it from the inside out.

Maybe she was doing the same thing? He hoped so; guilt filled him every second of the time he spent away, unable to send even one word to her.

Crickets chirped in the silence of the evening air, which was as dry as ice that crept beneath his fingers.

* * *

 _Ran a little bit behind and didn't post anything yesterday, but here we are! The prompt was "silence" for the first official day of FT Angst Week. Later, I'll post the one for today's prompt!_


	3. Spellbound

_The field was gorgeous, yet the black-haired man didn't seem to notice. He was too busy glaring at the patient looking woman beside him, crimson eyes irritable as she watched the sky with care. Her blue hair, usually pushed out of her face by a headband, hung loosely in her eyes. It was a good look on her, though it made him snicker when she puffed her breath out in irritation, aggravated when it hung in her eyes._

 _Losing his patience with her, he rested his chin on his open palm, glaring around them. "The fuck are we doin', woman? Been sittin' here for nearly three hours. Night's comin', and it's not exactly safe for ya to be running around the woods…"_

 _She shushed him. "Hush, Gajeel! Just wait! You'll see." She sat with care on her knees, her hands folded in her lap. She tilted her head back to look at the stars, which had begun to gleam in the skies._

 _It seemed like ages before the petite Levy McGarden suddenly dubbed that enough time had passed and urged him to stay where he was._

 _"Watch," she murmured._

 _She moved with slow, exaggerated moments._

 _And then she took off at a sudden and dead run. He barked out a startled sound in surprise, and she only laughed as millions of fireflies darted into the dark night sky, lighting it with their gentle glow. She came jogging back a few moments later, flopping next to him. "So!" she said, breathless. "What do you think? Impressed with my mad skills?"_

 _Usually, Gajeel was blunt._

 _And he continued to be so as he watched in amazement, his previously annoyed eyes full of awe and wonder. "Pretty," he admitted, voice gruff. It was rare that Gajeel used such words. He waved a hand through the air, catching one, then two of them. He studied them, and then used his other hand to ruffle her soft locks with a calloused hand. "Not bad, shrimp. For someone of your size."_

 _She puffed up in anger, but it dissipated as she saw the warm look in his gaze when their eyes locked. She smiled softly, and let him tuck a lock of hair behind her ear with gentle fingers._

 _He said nothing as he watched the way the fireflies cast their beautiful glow on Levy, merely watched the way her eyes danced when she leaned over and simply pressed her lips against his, hesitant and shaky, yet determined._

 _He spoke no words as he cackled and forced her into his lap, trapping her there and resting his chin on her head as they watched the fireflies above them, eager to witness the beauty of the world around them._

* * *

"What are we doing, Dad?" a small voice said crossly. Crimson eyes flashed irritably as the girl glared at the starry sky above them. "It's cold out here. Look, the snow's going to come soon!"

A large calloused hand ruffled her black locks, and she scowled, looking up to Gajeel. "Don't," she warned, "You're messing up my hair!"

"Gihi," he chuckled, voice low. "You been spending time with bunny girl again, Lex? She always makes ya fussy about your damn hair. Be patient. You'll see. Pretty sure you'll like it."

" _Ugh_ ," Lex - Alexus Redfox - moaned. She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, looking away and crossing her small arms. "Haru and the others don't have to do this!"

"Haru and the others don't have me for a dad," Gajeel pointed out. "Now shut up, kid, and watch." He crouched beside her, his arm becoming an iron pillar. "Ya can't tell anyone about this, got it? This is your mother and my secret place, and I guess if ya ever get married, that guy can come here."

Alexus perked up at the mention of her mother. "Mom, too? I guess I can keep it secret…"

"Good." Gajeel waited a moment. And then his iron limb snapped forward, slipping through the grass at a wild speed and sending fireflies into the sky. Alexus gasped, her hands clasped over her mouth as they glowed around her, surrounding the pair. The nine year old was amazed by what she saw, and Gajeel chuckled as he returned his arm to normal. "Your mom showed me this place. Haven't been here since before. S'where she told me she was gonna have you." He prodded her side, and Alexus giggled, swatting his hands away.

 _"I'm sorry, Gajeel...there was n-nothing I could do…_ "

Wendy's voice echoed in his ears, and he watched with a protective gaze as Alexus wandered off to enjoy the fireflies, her eyes glittering with excitement.

He'd told Levy not to go on the job, that he had a bad feeling about it. But she'd been insistent on it.

" _It's the first job Team Shadowgear's accepted since before Lex was born, and that was nearly five years ago, Gajeel. Just one. And then I'll be back and we can have that date I promised, okay?"_

Gajeel regretted ever reluctantly agreeing. She'd been killed when an unexpected attack had come from a mage no one had known about. One strike of lightning and she'd gone down. Jet and Droy had brought her to Wendy and Porlyusica as soon as possible before running for Gajeel, but there had been nothing that could be done.

Alexus had been forced to stay with Salamander, Lucy, their son Haru, and their daughter Sage for nearly six months before he'd gotten a hold of himself enough to take care of her. She'd never questioned anything, never asked why her mother was gone. Simply accepted it at the funeral and moved on, though she sometimes admitted that she missed her.

His girl was strong, nearly stronger than him, and that was saying something.

Wendy still felt guilt about the matter, especially when someone brought up Levy's name, but they were all careful to reassure that she was fine. It wasn't her fault, it was the man behind it.

Alexus hesitated, and then suddenly scribbled a word into the air, murmuring in a voice he could barely hear, "Solid-Script: Shooting Star." She threw the word as high as it would go, and it was like a star streaked across the sky as it soared.

She beamed up, proud of her work, and then ran back to Gajeel. He let her tackle him in a tight hug that he returned, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as they watched the fireflies around them, spellbound by their beauty.

* * *

 _And...running behind again! Gah! This was for the prompt "Spellbound" and the one for the next prompt will be posted later! I used my Gajevy child Alexus in this one!_


	4. Family

Sharp onyx eyes followed the people across the building with an intent that was unusual for one of his age. He studied the way they interacted, the way the eldest of them all grinned and scooped up his children with a laugh, and suddenly, he felt a twist of jealousy in his heart that he'd never before felt.

"Mom," he said, reaching for her sleeve. His small fingers caught it with ease, as if he knew just where it would be. "Mom, why don't I have a dad like Arch and Rimu?"

The blonde woman, who'd been working on a journal in front of her, paused, the fountain pen falling from her fingers. She turned her dark eyes on the boy beside her, as if shocked that he'd ask such a thing, and it was brief, but he saw the way her hand gripped the end of the scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Haru," she began, "You have to understand-"

"Don't lie to me," Haru warned. His smart brain was working quickly to sort out such things. "I'm eight now, Mom. I know when you lie."

"That's because you're as intuitive as your father," Lucy Heartfilia retorted, tapping his nose with a gentle touch. He wrinkled it, and then sneezed as she turned on her barstool to face him with a serious expression. Lucy's eyes darted to where Gray was playfully holding his son and daughter on his shoulders, Juvia watching them carefully with a wary look on her face.

"Haru," Lucy began again. "First, I need you to know that I'm sure your father would love you very much."

Haru perked up, eager to hear of his father. His mother rarely spoke of him except in the darkest moments of the night, when her nightmares took over and she cried out for him.

 _Natsu Dragneel_.

The fire dragon slayer of the guild. The man who'd been missing for near nine years. He knew fully well who his father was, even if he didn't understand why he wasn't there.

But he was about to find out.

"Okay, so why isn't he here?"

Lucy licked her lips and then admitted, "A long time ago, he left to get stronger. Remember how I got this?" She tapped a nasty scar that crossed down her cheek, blinding her in one eye. The color was milky, showing its blindness. Haru nodded hastily. He remembered the story well; his mother had upset someone of great wealth, and had been the target of an assassin for nearly a month before the assassin finally got himself killed by trying to kill her and - in the process - her partner, who had been brought down with a sharp blow. It had been Gajeel, officially, who had finally killed the assassin, and the iron mage still held no regrets about it.

"Well," she continued. "Natsu blamed himself." Haru tilted his head, blond locks falling into his eyes. It was rare that she said his name. "So he left. To get stronger so that something like this wouldn't happen again. But he just...never came back. I guess he forgot about us, hm?" Her voice was sad, and both were aware that they were being watched by a good majority of the people around them.

"But I'm sure," Lucy told her son. "That if he knew you were here, he'd love you very much."

Reassured, Haru gave her a toothy grin and then launched himself into her arms or a tight hug, burying his face in her shoulder. She giggled and hugged him back, kissing the top of his head before sending him off to play with the other children. Rimu came to his side immediately, his partner in crime, and Arch glared. Alexus and Blythe exchanged curious looks, then shrugged and moved on, going back to scolding Alexus' younger brother Saviir about his lack of consideration for others.

He didn't need his father, he told himself, peering back at his smiling mother, who turned to chat lightly with Mira.

He had his mother.

And that was all he needed.

* * *

When Natsu Dragneel returned nine years later and learned that the person he cared for most in the world was dead, killed eight and a half years before in a way no one was sure of, he cried.

His seventeen year old son didn't feel a lick of sympathy. He'd grieved when Mirajane had come to him with the news, pressing her keys into his hand and explaining that it was all they'd found of her.

 _I guess we're a broken family after all._

* * *

 _And…just a little one to catch up with angst week. The prompt was "family" so I figured I'd do a drabble idea I had for a fanfic that I'll write at some point in the future._

 _Small children guide: Haru is Natsu and Lucy's son, Arch and Rimu are Gray and Juvia's son and daughter (respectively), Blythe is Erza and Jellal's daughter, and Alexus and Saviir are Gajeel and Levy's daughter and son (respectively). These are my precious children that I created for them. I love them all very much._


	5. Smothered

Terrified, she whirled around to try and seek an escape, but there was none.

No one escaped Acnologia's wrath.

Once, she'd welcomed the heat of a fire with open arms.

As a girl raised by dragons, she had known what it was like to be shivering from the cold in the dead of winter She'd suffered terribly several times over. When Cait Shelter disappeared, when Tartaros had raised its nasty head, and definitely when her mother had said goodbye.

This, though.

This was different.

Slain people rested on the ground all around her. She could hear screaming. The pleading for their lives to be spared just seconds before they were killed. She screamed a few times herself, seeking help that didn't come. Wendy Marvell may have been a dragon slayer, a mage of Fairy Tail, but she was young, and she was scared. She'd lost Charle long ago, and had even managed to get separated from Erza.

The fire that she once felt safe around stifled her as she tried to figure out where she was. She couldn't breathe; she was smothered with how thick the air was, and she swallowed back a sob when she tripped and hit the ground, curling up into a ball.

It seemed like forever before the flames died down, before Acnologia left with a final deafening cry, her breath coming in short and soft pants as she was nudged.

Terror filled her as she lifted her gaze to discover none other than the one who she was sure would make everything right - despite knowing that he _couldn't_. Natsu's onyx eyes were blank, showing no emotion as he offered a hand to her, trying to help her up. His hand trembled when she took it, as if startled that she'd willingly done so.

And then she'd thrown her arms around the other mage in a tight hug, crying.

"Why?" she sobbed. "Why?"

He hugged her back to comfort her, his own heart aching with grief. "I don't know, Wendy. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated his apologies as his voice broke, and a soft groan of pain left him as he mourned the losses they'd both suffered. He remained like that as Gajeel picked his way over through the rubble. Levy and Team Shadowgear weren't far behind, Lily held gingerly in her arms. Cana was carried over on the back of a near silent Mira with Lisanna at their sides. Laxus and the Thunder Legion appeared shortly. Erza cradled Charle in her arms, and Wendy threw herself at the scarlet-haired woman with a cry.

Charle purred weakly and reassured her, and Wendy thought that maybe, everything would be alright.

But then the first body was revealed.

Wendy cried again as they brought Juvia out, her eyes staring blankly at nothing. The body count only grew as civilians were brought out. Gray arrived and made a strangled sound. Wendy thought that Natsu couldn't handle it when he left, his throat thick and his choked sobs loud in the air.

Elfman's body was found beneath the crushed guildhall alongside several others and Mira and Lisanna collapsed in each other's arms, wailing their grief.

Levy screamed when Natsu came back.

Because in his arms, he cradled Lucy. She looked like she was peacefully sleeping, her hair tangled and matted with blood and her lips stained with it. But they knew better.

They all did.

Happy flew in and began to screech in horror almost immediately when he realized who Natsu held, and the pink-haired mage seemed at a loss. What was he supposed to do without his partner? She was the one who organized his thoughts, the one who told him what to do in situations like this.

But she was gone, too.

The next horrible shock came when Makarov was discovered to be dead, and then there was terror.

What would Fairy Tail do without their master? The man who'd loved them all as his children?

They all cried then; even Laxus held tears in his sharp blue eyes as they struggled to come to terms with what had happened.

Acnologia had come seeking revenge for what had happened with Igneel in the battle with Tartaros, and he'd sure as hell gotten it.

It was hours before they'd gathered themselves back together. Erza took charge alongside Mira, naturally, ordering with a shaky voice that they should all continue looking for survivors. But by the time dusk came, they'd found only three survivors, and had given up.

Wendy healed injuries throughout the searching, keeping an eye on Natsu when Erza had asked. She felt a strong flash of grief every time she checked on him, fresh tears arising when she found him sitting there with his forehead pressed against Lucy's, his voice low as he whispered to her about things she couldn't hear. People avoided him as he was forced to come to terms with the loss of his partner, and the one time someone did approach, he nearly incinerated them when he told them to leave.

Finally, when the sun was just about to set, Wendy went over.

"Natsu," she whispered, capturing his attention. He tensed, refusing to look away from Lucy's closed eyes as she settled cautiously beside him. "Natsu, you...you have to say g-goodbye. We have to go."

"Where?" was all he said in response, closing his eyes.

"We've decided to go to Lamia Scale for shelter," she said softly. "We'll come back with help. To clean up Magnolia, find more of our friends, the likes." Her voice trembled dangerously. "We're...we're going to have funerals. For our friends that we've found. And L-Lucy…" She trailed off with a whimper.

Natsu paused, and then suddenly crushed Lucy to him, pressing his face into her blonde hair as he began to sob loudly. "I can't," he moaned. "I can't leave her. Or Juvia, or Elfman, or Gramps-"

"You have to," Wendy said shakily. "We all have to. We don't want to either, Natsu."

Wendy could tell that they were being watched by their friends nearby. Those that lived had clustered together, seeking comfort in one another. Gray was sitting with his head close to Erza's as they tried to figure out their next course of action. Levy dozed against the iron dragon slayer that already held her on his back, ready to leave, and Lily was dozing atop of his head. Laxus was speaking with Mira and Lisanna, who held the sleeping Charle for Wendy.

Happy was standing alone, watching with tears in his eyes.

"Happy needs you," Wendy urged gently.

He was quiet for a few moments before he suddenly gave a shaky sigh and pressed his lips to Lucy's cold forehead, tears escaping his shut eyes. When he pulled back, he took a deep breath, and then said hoarsely, "I wanna cremate Luce. And the others."

Wendy was startled, but said hesitantly, "We need to speak with the others, but Lucy at least, we can."

"The Spirits...they'll wanna..y aknow…"

"Loke can see if they can come." Wendy touched his arm soothingly, and then stood, studying the stars that had begun to dot the sky. Her tired legs trembled beneath her, but she stood strong. "Come on. Let's go see what the others will agree to."

 _We're Fairy Tail_ , Wendy told herself as he reluctantly climbed to his feet, moving to follow her with Lucy cradled gingerly in his arms.

The pain they felt hurt them terribly.

The grief killed them.

But they would live on for their lost nakama, stronger than ever.

"I'm going to kill Acnologia," Natsu said darkly, surprising them all when he spoke upon reaching the group.. "I don't care what I have to do. I'll kill him someday."

"And we'll be right there beside you," Gray told him, clasping him on the shoulder gently when he heard him speak.

Everyone murmured their agreement, and Wendy licked her lips with a dark look in her gaze as she gave a surprisingly loud growl.

They would get their revenge.

And if it killed them in the process...so be it.

Because they'd have friends waiting on the other side.

* * *

 _My next addition to angst week! The prompt was "smothered"._


	6. Past

Dark crimson eyes studied the grave before him with a contemplative look, and he reached out to gently run his fingers over the old stone. It was hard beneath his touch, a reminder of what had once been and what would never be again.

His curse had created the headstone. Well, not exactly, but it had created the reason the headstone had needed to be crafted. He was hated by several because of it - not that they knew that he was the one who had done it. No one did.

But he did.

Zeref would never forget what he'd done.

He remembered when he'd first come across Mavis Vermillion. With her startled emerald eyes, her quick smiles. Her long blonde hair and her eagerness to find the fairies she'd dreamed of since she was a child.

She'd been the first one he'd loved since Natsu.

The first one to love him in return since his brother.

Zeref smiled wryly at the thought of both of them. His past wasn't a kind one. His parents and brother killed, only for him to become cursed in the process of finding out how to resurrect the brother he refused to leave behind. Igneel had taken him from him, determined to make sure the child didn't turn out like Zeref's first creation - a demon that had enjoyed slaughter so much that Zeref himself had killed it.

He remembered seeing Natsu killed in front of him, his onyx eyes terrified as he pleaded for his brother to help him just seconds before blood spattered the air.

Zeref hated the death and destruction that surrounded him on a daily basis when he was around others.

So here he was; he'd exiled himself long after returning Mavis' body to the people that had loved her as much as he had.

He hoped that it would remain like this forever, a peaceful life on an island that held only the grave of the petite girl he'd grown to love and animals. More than once he'd wished he could go back to the times when Mavis and her friends had been there, when it wasn't a lonely life he'd led.

But even he could sense the change that was coming, and he closed his eyes as he turned away from the grave.

When he opened them, they were blank.

The past was in the past.

But the future lay before him, and he was determined to remain alone on Tenrou Island.

For the sake of everyone.

For the sake of the last living loved one he held.

 _Maybe one day,_ he told himself, studying the far off ocean.

 _One day, we'll meet again Natsu._

* * *

 _A little bit different, but different is good. Right?_


	7. Nightmare

His eyes snapped open.

Sweat dotted his forehead and rolled down his skin as he sat up, his hands trembling with fear. His breath came in huge gasps that did nothing for him, and it took him quite some time to find the oxygen his body needed. No one stirred in the hammock beside him; nobody came from another room to check on him.

Because there was no one.

Happy was staying at Wendy's for the night, exhausted after dealing with Natsu's terrible nightmares for the past few months. He'd been regretful and largely apologetic. Natsu had told him it was fine.

Now, he somewhat regretted it, because it was lonely. But he'd do as he'd always done and walk the path to the canal, and then walk the road to Lucy's.

So, he hauled himself out of his bed.

Lucy had them, too, she'd told him once. Dreams where he was hurt and that she lost him, and she'd told him that they killed her every time. They made her a mess, and it was on those nights that he was welcomed into her bed.

The dream had been as normal as any other time he had them. He was used to them, but it didn't make it any better. He found himself exhausted after them, leaving him cranky and nowhere near hungry the next morning if he didn't head to his partner's.

They all started the same.

He was peacefully enjoying his time with his best friend. They'd gone on some sort of job, an easy one that he had fun on. He'd eat a lot, she'd mess with him about his motion sickness, a normal day between both of them.

And then it began to turn dark.

He'd wake up in the middle of an open field, trees surrounding him, his body slicked with blood. He'd pray that it was his own, but knew better than to believe it. So he'd shoot to his feet, shouting her name, pleading that she answer him. His gut would wrench with terror when he found her, dead on the ground, a gentle look of understanding on her peaceful face.

She wouldn't even blink when he collapsed, screaming and wailing as he clutched her to him.

And then...he woke up, and it was all just a dream.

Natsu listened to the silence around him as he made his way to where Lucy was, seeking comfort. He had to make sure that she was alive and breathing.

Only…

She wasn't, he realized as he finally stopped nearly half an hour later, standing before her head stone. She was long gone, dead for months now. He stared at her name with wide eyes, confused for a brief moment as if wondering why it was there.

It struck him.

There were no nightmares.

There were only memories. Memories of how he'd screwed up, memories of what had happened.

Memories of the blonde that no longer breathed and lived like he'd needed.

Biting back a groan, he dropped to his knees before the grave and simply curled up into a ball beside it, closing his eyes to sleep.

The next morning, Erza came to fetch him, just as she did every morning, her gaze miserable and apologetic when she found herself coaxing him away for the sixteenth time that month.

The next morning, he faked a smile, reassured them all that he was fine and ready to work. That he was all fired up to do what Lucy would have wanted and help people.

No one was fooled.

But life went on.

And so did he.

* * *

 _It turns out I'm quite fond of torturing Natsu. The prompt was "nightmare"._


	8. Fairy Tale

" _The Human and_

 _the Demon_

 _fell in love under_

 _the eye of the_

 _Kings._

 _Destined to hate_

 _those that_

 _opposed him,_

 _the Demon was_

 _sent through the_

 _Gates._

 _To the future_

 _he went and_

 _there he met_

 _the one chosen_

 _by the Stars._

 _Upon his return,_

 _he was Broken_

 _and Burned,_

 _never again to_

 _see her._

 _Sealed by the_

 _Dragon and_

 _raised on Fire,_

 _the Demon forgot his ire,_

 _and was allowed_

 _to join her_

 _neither aware_

 _of the chaos_

 _he had caused._

 _As time passed,_

 _the Darkness_

 _returned, and the_

 _Chosen was_

 _confronted with_

 _a choice:_

 _to Destroy or_

 _to Suffer,_

 _there was_

 _no other,_

 _but she chose_

 _neither and_

 _together they_

 _Disappeared._

 _Unknown to the_

 _Fairies, they were_

 _together in a_

 _Place most treasured._

 _The King of  
Demons, _

_the one once_

 _hated, now guards_

 _the grave of the_

 _One he once_

 _loved."_

"Where'd you hear that song?" the man holding the lost child's hand asked, bewildered. His dark eyes were confused, yet curious. It wasn't one he'd heard before. Where on earth could have he heard of the King of Demons?

The boy only smiled cheekily up at him, his onyx eyes sparkling. "My mom," he replied.

The ice-make mage clasped a hand over his lips when a hysterical laugh left him.

"Tell her Gray says hi?"

"Sure thing, Uncle Gray."

* * *

 _My last entry for Angst Week because I don't know what to for the last prompt and I kind of want to start planning this Akatsuki no Yona idea I had. The prompt for this was "fairy tale" and thought this worked best. I wrote the song in school, so. I don't think My editor has even seen it yet._


End file.
